FRUIT

Arrowhead Room

Waubonsee Community College

 

 with Arrowhead Room  Art Coordinator Tonya Whitlock

 Fruit (from the exhibition text by Tonya Whitlock):

"Fruit features artwork by women who are also mothers. It is often taboo for fine artists to talk about themes of motherhood in their work. The unspoken thought is that you have you to choose between raising a family or being a serious artist. This exhibition celebrates women who choose to do both. "

When I first became a parent, I was shocked to realize there was, suddenly, no time for anything other than caring for my newborn.
I was healing from a C-section, suffering from insomnia, breastfeeding around the clock, changing diapers and keeping up with our baby's non-existent circadian rhythm.

 
Both my husband's and my family were overseas. At first, we invited my parents to help, and they stayed with us for three months. In retrospect, I would say their stay added more complexity to this new change than it was straight forward helpful. Most of these experiences are probably very typical of new parenthood. However, when one is an artist, there is a constant inner voice yearning to speak out, urging you to create. That voice doesn't pay attention to your current life circumstances. It does not know how to hit pause. It doesn't care how much time in a day you have available.

 
After weeks of zero studio time, I realized I needed to create a well-defined intentional project; a daily routine that would be attainable within many of my constraints. That is not how I naturally created art up to that point in my life.
The project was: create three hundred and sixty-five 9"x12" watercolors with a minimal color palette until Albert's first birthday.
I didn't need to create every day; I didn't need to follow any other "guidelines" other than create and make it happen. The task was small enough, yet over a course of one year the work, obviously, grew and a stack of accumulated pieces got taller and taller. It was a proof I was still creating. The physical proof was there for me to see and remind me that "I" was still there. I was a parent, a mom, but my inner "me" was there, firm, and solid.

 

Albert's Series (2010-2011)

The experience of creating Albert's series was incredibly empowering. It not only meant I was still doing what I needed to be doing, it also became a well of ideas for my next works.

 
After I finished the series (in time!), I submitted "Albert's series" as a proposal for a solo exhibition. I managed to show parts of this series in two separate solo exhibitions.

When my second child (Karl) was born, I knew he needed to have his own series. And that I needed it too.
The parameters - medium, format and 365 pieces were the same. It took me almost three years, though, to finalize Karl's series.  When I would stress out how I am not making it in time for Karl's first birthday, my older one, Albert would remind me, wisely:

"Mom, it doesn't matter how fast you do it, it just matters you finish it at some point, and you will". :-)

 

 Karl's Series (2015-2018)